


The Golden Age was long ago...

by Keenir



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America (Movies), Daredevil (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Ant-Man (2015) Spoilers, Gen, Nobody Gets Fridged!, The Beetle, Using a rumor..., they are not Avengers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-30
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-06 23:02:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4239972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is more than one way to pass the decades.  That is what Anya Corazon is learning from her mentor, Jessica Drew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Spider Marriage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Murdoch, and Danvers.
> 
> And begin our look into SHIELD's other special projects - the ones that pre-date the Avengers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about that...my mouse flicked to the wrong box when I sneezed, and - Posted before I was entirely ready.
> 
> (and yes, part of this was a reaction - a theory - in regards to a rumor I heard)
> 
> Geryton was a cattle-owner in Ancient Greek legend.

Spider-Woman raced across rooftops, her arachnid powers keeping her on her toes and able to leap from one roof to another with ease, and leap to the side of a skyscraper and run around its side when that was in her way, continuing onward as before when she reached the other side.  _I got comfortable,_ she admitted, if only to herself.  _I started building a life, a good life, and I was in love, and -_

Her mind's eye could still picture the blue lines on the stick.

 _Stupid, I didn't even bring it with me,_ she berated herself as her feet came into contact with the steel framework around a high-rise still under repair.  _I could at least have dropped it from a good height after I got out of Hell's Kitchen._   But she was nearly out of Hell's Kitchen as it was, and the edge of New York was easily reachable within a day's time for one such as her.

Only one thing could stop her from running herself out of the city.

And it landed in her path, harmlessly hitting the roof in a crouch that it rose from, goggle-eyes reflecting what ambient light they caught as they looked at her.

 _Goggle and mask.  No pilot jumps like that, and I'd hear a plane passing by - I'd detect it even if I didn't hear it.  Lovely, somebody sent some enhanced soldier after me._ Spider-Woman used her momentum to jump over the supersoldier, who turned to watch her pass overhead and get grabbed by a smaller body with slightly less steering control.  "Got you!"

"Let go!" Spider-Woman yelled at the girl clinging to her arm.

"Why're you running?" the girl asked her, shouting over the rush of air past their ears.

"Let go!"

"When you say why!"

"I'm pregnant!"

The girl let go of Spider-Woman's arm, and wobbling, turned around to tumble in for a landing.

Spider-Woman's involved more crashing, but she too came to a stop.  She was sumersaulting herself to standing up, when the supersoldier landed on its feet on the roof just a few meters away from her.  "Stay back!" Spider-Woman warned. "Stay back or I'll -" and frowned as her eyes processed what she was looking at. "What the hell are you wearing?"

"That's what I asked her," the girl said with a chuckle, sitting on the wall between them both.

"This is my favorite outfit," said the supersoldier to them both. To the girl, "Congrats. You caught your first bad guy."

"I don't think she's a bad guy."

"Women can be evil too."

"No, I mean she's pregnant."

"Pregnancy prevents wickedness? That must be a new thing," the supersoldier remarked. To Spider-Woman, "And who are you?"

"I'm Spider-Woman," Spider-Woman said.

A pause.

"Um..." the kid said.

"What a coincidence," the supersoldier said. "That's my name too," _or that's what Janet called me - at the time, I hadn't known if she was kidding or not.  I mean, its not like how Dr. Pym got saddled with the 'ant man' moniker._

"My name's Carpenter," said Spider-Woman.

"Drew. So...spider to spider, why were you running?"

"I... I may have panicked," Carpenter said.

"May have? Spider-Girl here took you down in mid-air. You looked like you were taking the long road to Sokovia."

"Why would I go there?"

"Isn't that where everyone starts on the path to becoming a spider?" Jessica Drew asked.

In unison, Spider-Girl and Carpenter said, "No!"

"Then...?"

"My boyfriend's been there for me, and my kid loves him, and..." Carpenter raised her head back to stare skywards. "I thought we had time. We should've been married, I had plenty of chances to say yes, and now..."

"Question," Spider-Girl asked, one hand raised. "Does would-be hubby know you're a wall-crawler?"

"What is it with you and that term?" Jessica Drew asked.

Spider-Girl grinned behind her mask.

"He knows I fight crime," Carpenter said. "The details are, well, he's never asked for them."

"Sounds a sight better than Pym," Jess muttered.

"Who?"

"Somebody I used to know. So, where are we going?" Jess asked.

"I don't follow," Carpenter said.

"Good, because we are. Me and Anya here, we're going with you, wherever you decide to go."

"Spiders stick together!" Anya declared.

"Say it much louder, and that guy following us'll hear you."

"There's someone follow- Hey, my spider-sense just picked him up," Carpenter said. "How did you...?"

"She's oooold," Anya said sagely.

"Lots of practice," Jess countered with. _And a sense to compliment my spider-sense._

"Sooo," Anya said. "If you're Carpenter now, who'll you be when you say yes? Mrs. Carpenter...?" And with an evil grin, "Mrs. Carpenter Gort?"

"I'm keeping my surname," Carpenter said. "I might hyphenate it."

Jess groaned.

"Your arthritis acting up?" Anya asked her.

"Let's just go," Jess said.

As they made their way back over the roofscape they'd pursued the newly-met Spider-Woman over, Anya had time to think:  _So, I was right - there_ is _more than just the two of us.  Granted, I thought Spider- **Man** was real, but so far, he hasn't shown up._

Glancing at Carpenter, Anya wondered _Wonder if I could help train her.  Assuming she doesn't already know all the spiderstuff we need to know.   It'd have to be me training her, wouldn't it?  Can't be Jess._

_I mean, Jess' already told me that she won't be here that much longer - another few months, and Jess'll disappear; she says she's done it before._

"Oi!" Jess said.  "Watch your step, kid."

Anya felt one foot go over the edge of the roof they were all on at the moment...and come down on the other side of the right angle.

Carpenter chuckled.  "I still think that's the best part," she said.

Jess shook her head.

 _Okay, so I'm not the greatest student the world's ever seen,_ Anya knew.  _But I'm pretty good._

The three of them walked down the wall to the alley floor.  After that, it was a short distance to the office door Carpenter said was important.  "That stalker hasn't gone off my radar," Anya whispered as they approached the door.

"Mine either," Carpenter said equally quietly.

Jess nodded, and opened the door with the label Nelson And Murdoch on the glass.

Three heads looked up when they walked in.

"Can we help you?" Karen asked.

"Fog?" Carpenter asked.

"Yes?" Foggy asked, standing up.

Carpenter took a step, two, closer to him.  And she looked at him.  "Will you marry me?"  _He's asked me often enough, its only fair I ask him this time.  Now that he knows I'm pregnant.  I'll save my other job for anther day._

Foggy looked at her.  Matt felt the man's jaw might go slack fairly soon.

"They're not going to say anything, are they?" Anya grumbled.

"Probably not," Karen said.  "What do you say we go get ice cream, eh?"

"Are you Canadian?"

"No, why?"

"Then please don't do that.  Besides, I can't."

"Lactose intolerant?" Karen guessed.

"She's responsible for me when we're out roaming the streets," Anya said, pointing a thumb at Jess.

"Speaking of which, what were the two of you doing, when you came across the future Mrs. Nelson?" Matt asked.

"Jogging," Jess said.

"Yes," Foggy said.  "Yes I will marry you!" and swept Carpenter up in a great Foggy hug.

"Sap-py!" Anya declared. 

"You'll be okay?" Jess asked Carpenter, holding out one hand.

\- and got yanked into a bear hug by Carpenter and Nelson.  "Perfectly fine," Carpenter said.  "Thank you."

"Ditto what she said," Foggy said.  "You ever need a lawyer, you call.  No charge."

 _There's very little I don't outlive,_ Jess knew, but accepted the offer.  _One of the few things Peggy and Johann agreed upon, was that you never ever slap away kind gestures._

"Any plans?" Carpenter asked when the hug was ending.

"Finish jogging," Jess said.

Anya gave a mock-groan.  "Yay, back to homework."

"You're both welcome, any time," Carpenter promised them both.

"Cool."

**Meanwhile...**

**Nick Fury:**

_I looked the other way this long, Hill.   You asked for some time to deal with this, and you got it.  Your years of diligence and loyalty bought you this past week's worth of leeway.  Now I need you to report in,_ Fury thought as Agent Hill's face appeared on the screen. "Care to tell me just how she got out?" Fury wanted to know.

Agent Hill shook her head. "Sir, the capsule was designed so she could get in and out of it on her own."

 _Even wounded, I know._ "I wasn't speaking of the capsule. I was speaking of the security we supposedly have at that supposedly secure site."

Hill looked at him with a look he understood. 

_Yeah, I know it was Coulson's area of responsibility; things like this make me wonder if the Avengers and his pet project are making there too many things on his plate._

"You could always ask her when she gets back, sir."

Fury glared at Hill with all his one good eye could give. "In the meantime, Agent, we need to _find_ her. Well go on, get to it."  _She does have to return to our custody, that's true...but she's still got a year before that deadline is at all useful.  And someone with her powers..._

Agent Hill frowned. "Me, sir?"

 _Surprised I'm still trusting you with this?_ "You'd rather I send out Agent S, or deputize the Princess?" Fury inquired; _and even though you know I won't do either of that - or you'd better know by now - I trust I've made my point clear. Miss Drew's a problem that the SSR left in SHIELD's inheritance. She's already destroyed Project Orpheus, and left the Geryton Defenses in such a shambles it'll take another decade before its salvageable._

"No," Maria said flatly.

"Good," Fury said, and let her break the connection. That done, he called up the pictures of his predecessors, all of those who had been SHIELD Directors before him. His singular gaze came to rest once more on the second Director. "You had a lot of great ideas, Carter, but so far, training Jessica Drew hasn't been one of them."

* * *

 **One week later,** the entire world was learning that SHIELD had been home to a network of HYDRA agents living undercover for over seventy years.

But **one week before they met Carpenter...**

Climbing up the fence was no trouble for her.  Nor was hopping over the fencetop by way of some overhanging branches.  Soon enough, she was well inside the military base, and, landing on the concrete, no sooner had Anya stood up, than she was asked -

"Care to tell me why you're trespassing?" by one Captain Danvers.

"Um...that's classified," Anya said.

Danvers smiled.  "Pretty sure my clearance is higher than yours."

Recalling a trick from a movie, "Yeah, I don't doubt it - but is theirs?" glancing at the other soldiers.

"Not a problem.  Just follow me, and we can discuss it in private."  _Indoors, where you can't use that superjumping of yours to escape._

"I'd love to, but I think I have to go home now," Anya said.

"Nope," Carol said.  "You're going with me."

"She's with me!" came a woman's voice from high above and behind them - and the owner of that voice, landed on her feet between Anya and Danvers.  She tilted her head for a moment, then grinned.  "You look familiar," she told Danvers.  "Got promoted - congratulations," Jess said as she lifted her goggles up to her forehead.

"I remember you too.  And I learned from our last encounter," as more troops came out to surround them.

"For me?  I'm touched," Jess said.

 _And you're still wearing the same - suit? PJs? - as the last time we ran into each other._ "Oh, you're touched, all right.  Now, who are you?  You with Iron Man and the others?"

"Iron man?  The Beetle's a guy now?"

 _Beetle?_    "That's not an answer," Carol said.

"I know.  And your answer's no."

"To which question?"

"The last person I worked with, was declared dead," Jess said.  _Go ahead, take that the wrong way; I expect you to.   Janet won't mind._

"That sounds suspiciously like a threat," Carol said.

"Oh, I know," Jess said.

"You _do_ realize we outnumber you."

"There's two of us, officer.  That makes it unfair for you."

Carol chuckled.  "Hubris."

"Only if it wasn't true," Jess replied, grabbing Carol by her collar and flinging her at a cluster of soldiers.  "Time to exercise," Jess informed Anya.

"Exercise?  Now?" Anya asked.

Rolling her eyes, "Fine, fight time," twirling around while ducking to avoid a fist, and knock her opponent's legs out from under him.

"Um, okay?" Anya said, but kept busy more by dodging attacks than dealing any blows.

Carol stood up and stalked towards Jess, launching a fist at this returned intruder.

It knocked Jess back a bit, though she crashed into another soldier who collapsed at the impact.  But Jess looked only at Carol.  "You shouldn't have done that."

"You can surrender at any time," Carol said.

"I never surrender."

"Me neither," Carol said, catching the fist that Jess threw at her, and using Jess' momentum to flip her - and saw her land on her feet.  "Not too shabby," Carol granted her.

"That's rehearsal - you want me to fight, try something I haven't practiced a thousand times," Jess said, yanking her arm - and Danvers with it - towards her, and dropped to the ground, letting Carol flip overhead of her.

Carol landed and swung a leg to cut down Jess' legs - a move Jess simply hopped over - and swung her other leg behind that, bowling Jess over.

Carol Danvers and Jess Drew each stood back up.

Even so, the fight was going pretty well for the two intruders, certainly better than most would do, until there was a sound like muted jet engines, and a voice on speakers: "Time to stop fighting," said Rhodes inside the War Machine suit.

Looking at the mechanical man coming in to land, and heading their way, Jess said "You are no Beatle."

"Never said I was - the name's War Machine," Rhodes said.

"Well, then if you aren't the Beatle...then I can do _this_ ," Jess said, and bolted - running straight for Rhodes.

 _Huh.  Most people either run away, surrender, or start shooting.  What are you up to?_ Rhodes wondered.  And as that thought ended, some of his readouts began to flicker.  And the soldiers' weaponry began to point at - _no, not pointing...being pulled towards_ \- Rhodes.

Jess jumped, spinning through the air, looking ready to dive-bomb Rhodes.

He caught her.

Holding her in both hands, her arms pinned against her body without much pressure, Rhodes asked her "What did you think you were doing?"

She looked right at his visor and said, "Making a better magnet," with a little grin.

Startled sounds from the soldiers still standing, caught Rhodes' attention in time for him to fire up his foot rockets, so as to avoid being struck by the firearms being drawn to the two of them.  His screens flickered a second time.  "How're you doing this?" Rhodes asked her.

"Magic," Jess said.

Dropping some mildly explosive chaff to get rid of the pursuing firearms, Rhodes knew he'd have to account for that, and he was ready.  "Whose magic?" he asked bluntly.  "Asgardian?  SSR?"

"I remember the SSR," she said.  "Nice kids."

"Huh.  So you know Captain Rogers, then?" as he put in a call to said supersoldier.

"Heard of him.   Agent  - Director - Carter was a fan.  Now hold still," and she closed her eyes, the smile going away, and Rhodes' suit registering a sharp rise in electrical activity.

He let go, allowing his suit the time needed to recover in mid-air; cutting short things like calls.  Rotating to fly after Jess, Rhodes saw she was diving almost straight down, arms still smooth against her sides, head now tilted to afford a better view.

And then she spread her arms, revealing some sort of fabric webbing, that both slowed her descent, and let her glide forwards at speed.  Jess grabbed Anya, picking her up and gliding them both off the base and away from it.

Rhodes came down for a landing, and Danvers was there to meet him.  "I admit, she's as strange as you told me.  Not quite Stark levels, but getting there," Rhodes said.  "I'll go see if him and his friends know anything."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Danvers said. 

"You'll be okay here?"

"Lots to clean up," she said, looking at the soldiers picking themselves off the ground.

 **Meanwhile,** Jess came to a landing in a school playground, setting Anya down atop the swings, and herself coming to a stop atop the slide.  "You're welcome," Jess said.

"Thanks!" Anya said.  "Seriously, thank you.  That was awesome, how you were  - and then you - and you even...oh crap," she said quietly.

"What?"

"That was one of Iron Man's friends you were getting hugged by."

"Should that name mean something to me?" Jess asked.

Anya stared at her.  "How do you _not_ know about Iron Man?"

Jess shrugged.  "I don't get out much."

"Duh squared.  I mean, Tony Stark was world-famous even before he announced he was Iron Man."

"Stark?" Jess asked.  "Any relation to Howard?"

"I suppose," Anya said.  "Howard Stark built the company, and handed it to Tony Stark...but that doesn't mean anything - one of my teachers was Mrs. Corazon."

Jess blinked.

"Ah, right.  My name's Anya Corazon.  Nice to meet you..."

"Jess," she said.  "Jessica Drew.  And likewise, Anya."

After a minute of silence, Anya had to ask: "How...?  You knew I was in trouble.  Is that...?" _part of having spider-powers?_

"I was sitting on a rooftop, and I saw someone jumping over a building.  Came over to see if you were who I thought you were."

"Am I?"

"Nope.  But I didn't expect you'd turn out to be who I thought I saw, anyway.  Nope, you're better."

"Thanks.  That means a bunch, since...you know."

"Know what?" Jess asked.

"You're like me," Anya said happily.  "We're Spider-Women!"

Jess looked at Anya.

"Fine, I'm still a Spider-Girl," Anya grumbled.

"Not sure what you were thinking I was thinking, but that ain't it," Jess said.  "I was wondering where you learned your jumping and fighting skills...such as they were.  Your parents?"

Anya snorted.  "My parents'd throw a gasket if they heard I was in a fight.  And trespassing, _there_ of all places..."

"Then what were you doing there?"

"I..."

"Spider-Girl?" Jess asked.

"I had a question about my homework.  My history teacher's in the Reserves, and I came here to ask him about the assignment she gave us."

"Please tell me your teacher's name wasn't Danvers," Jess said, giving serious thought to putting one hand to her own forehead.

"Danforth," Anya said.   "Sorry.  And, again, thank you."  And took a step back.   "So, you know, I'll be going now.  Got more homework ahead, and I need to head home, so..."

Jess took a step forward.  "I'll walk you home.  And you can tell me who taught you those moves."

"What, that stuff?  Basic gymnastics.  Not the heavy-duty ballet you were doing."

_Ballet?  Dammit, Hauptman, I thought you hired that teacher because you and Schmidt thought I had an all-important destiny!  And because you were sweet on her.  No wonder Janet looked so amused every time I used that fighting tactic._


	2. An Average Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is an average day like, for teacher and student?

"Wakey wakey."

Jess cracked open one eye, half-glaring at the kid standing at her bedside, fully dressed in sweatpants and sweatshirt; Jess suspected her uniform was on underneath.  "You wanted a day off."

Anya nodded.

"This is it." 

"Yeah, I know.  And thanks for that."

"But?"

"But I'm bored."

"Homework," Jess said, rolling over, grateful to the Corazons for letting her crash in their guest bedroom overnight.

"Done," Anya said.

"Chores."

"If I had any left, I wouldn't be here - I'd be doing them."

"Good.  Try again," Jess said.

"What's to try?  Oooh, you think I'm ready to patrol by myself?  Yes!" restraining herself from a fistpump.  "That'll definitely - AHH!  You shoc-  How'd you do that without using your hands?" Anya asked through narrowed eyes.

Jess sat up and looked at her student.  "Foot," she said.  "And adequately conductive floor.  Now," standing up, "listen and learn, kiddo.  Never - ever...<I>Don't - you - ever</I> \- do something because you're bored!

"Do it for revenge," Jess continued.  "Do it because you promised.  Do it for justice.  <I>Never</I> for boredom.  Kapisce?"  _As I understand it, that's how the Beetle began - in boredom._

"Si," Anya said.  "How 'bout training?"

"Perfectly valid reason," Jess said.

* * *

* * *

 

"Are we gonna meet Spider-Man today?" Anya asked.

"Why do you keep asking me this?" Jess asked her, not stopping her sit-ups.  "Every third day, almost.  Feels like it.  You better not be playing matchmaker, kid."

Anya rolled her eyes and continued her chin-ups.  "I just figure that, we're all spiders, so its better to be spiders together."

"Some would call that a very Commie attitude," Jess quipped.

"The Wall's been down, what, twenty years now?"

"Wall?" she teased.

"You don't remember the Berlin Wall?"

Jess shrugged.  "I remember Nazis."

"And Tsars and Caesars and Shahs too, I bet," Anya quipped.  "But back to my point, you're Spider-Woman, and I'm Spider-Girl, and he's Spider-Man, and -"

"What'd I tell you about matchmaking?"

"What?  Even widows get to go back on the dating scene.  And you don't _look_ ancient, anyway."

"Great, spider jokes," Jess muttered.  "You sure you never met Janet?"

"Jackson?  No, I remember, you told me a little about her - Doc Von Dyne, right? She called you Spider Woman."

 _She also blamed her husband for my growth spurt,_ Jess knew, glancing at her wrist.  _Maybe I should stop by, ask if its been determined one way or another._ "Fine," Jess said.  "We'll look for your Spider-Man."

"Yay, and methinks the lady doth protest much," Anya chuckled.

"You'll be graduating soon, and that's when I'll take you to meet some of my friends."

"Like Captain America?" Anya asked, excited that "I'm gonna meet Captain America!"

"Oh yay, they found him," Jess said.  "But why do you think I know him?"

"You said you remember Nazis.  And he fought Nazis.  I bet the two of you fought side-by-side, kicking butt and being all superhero-y and playing Frisbee with that shield of his."  And then Anya's face changed, which should have forewarned Jess that something impudent and overly presuming was about to emerge from the girl's mouth:  "Is Captain America the reason why you don't want to date any more?"

"No, though his fiancé did practically raise me...twice," Jess said.

"Right, the whole waking up every ten year thing," Anya recalled.  "I can see that'd be majorly awkward."

"And I was younger than you are now, at the time.  Physically."

"Aand there's a squick factor.  Thanks."

Jess grinned.

"But you're better now, right?  You don't need to go back to sleep again in your medication bath.  Right?"

"If I need to, we'll find out in a year," Jess said, recalling how, even in the '80s, her body would return to near its original state, with shortness of breath, legs unable to support her, blood carrying so little oxygen to the organs, and other pains.  _Some times, I had a year to train and live, before everything gave out; some times I had two and a half.  Rarely the same span of time twice._ "I bet in ten years time, you'll be running this city."

"And the Avengers," Anya agreed.

"Never join a gang," Jess snapped at her.  "You're better than that.  We're better than that."

"I know, I know.  We're super-"

"We are spiders, as you love to say," Jess said, more kindly, none of the venom.  "We don't join things.  We hunt on our own, or we make things that others join."  _When I tried joining Peggy in being part of the SSR - and later in part of SHIELD - it never ended well.  Ditto with Janet.  I don't know about the Wasp, but I think the Beetle was still mad at me._ "Now, about your last training ground, follow me."

"That was fast."  _Well, if there's one only bit of self-improvement to come out of this, my grades for gym class have gotten better since Jess started tutoring me.  I like to think I've improved more than just that one thing, though._

"We're going to discuss it," Jess said.  "I figure you should have a say in what I have to drop you off of."

"You drop what?" Anya asked.

"And I need to get groceries."

* * *

* * *

"A grocery store? _This_ is the important thing you wanted to do next?" Anya asked as the two of them walked down one of the aisles.

"Keep walking," Jess said under her breath. "And pay attention."

"Yeah, no, I get it - the kumquats might turn out to be grenades."

"You're thinking of pineapples. And what else do you see?"

"Check-out lines. Wine boxes on sale."

"And?" Jess asked.

"And? That's it," Anya said.

"Pretty sure this place has a roof. And not everybody makes drab ceilings."

Anya looked up for a moment, and saw the rows of horizontal and angled bars running the length of the store. "Cool, we're going to practice our leaps and stuff up there?"

 _Trying to be one step ahead. Like I was and kinda sorta still am._ "Sure. If you can avoid the cameras."

"Cameras, what cam- ohh, those cameras." Anya narrowed her eyes. "But."

"But?" Jess asked.

"The cameras are level with just below the horizontal bars," Anya said. "Which means we can't swing from bar to bar, sure."

"But?" Jess asked, picking up a loaf of bread like any normal customer might. _Janet taught me well._

"But we can jump from bar to bar _above_ the cameras."

"Good idea," Jess said, giving a stink-eye to some of the ingredients listed. "Though look at where they screw or nail into each other - do they look secure, or do they look like they'd make a lot of noise when you grab them in a landing?"

"Noisy," Anya grumbled.

"And noisy grabs attention."

"And?"

"And that's the lesson.  Last one of the day.  They still have ice cream, nowadays, right?"

Anya shook her head. "You think they outlawed ice cream when you weren't looking? How long were you under that rock, anyway?"

As they were walking out of the grocery store, the crowd around them had a palpable excitement: "Is that him?" "Its Iron Man!" "Hey Mr Stark!" "I don't think that's him," "We should run now," "Its Iron Man, just in a different suit."

Jess looked up at the armored individual whose thrusters were holding him in place over the parking lot.  The open wings were too familiar to be coincidence.  _Somewhere behind those goggles,_ she knew, _he's looking at me_.  When firing platforms rose from each of his shoulders, Jess knew: "Yup, the Beetle's still mad at me." 

"Pretty sure this'll grab attention," Anya quipped, exited at the opportunity: _Is this my graduation exam?  One last test?  One of the Cold War legends themselves._   "Thank you!"

The Beetle fired.


End file.
